Blind voters to use EVMs in J&K this elections

For the first time in Jammu and Kashmir, all the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to be used in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections will be Braille-enabled, allowing the visually-impaired voters to exercise their franchise without any assistance.

For the first time in Jammu and Kashmir, all the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to be used in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections will be Braille-enabled, allowing the visually-impaired voters to exercise their franchise without any assistance.

"Devnar School of Blind, Mumbai, has been approached for preparing Braille-enabled list of candidates which will be loaded on the EVMs to facilitate the visually-challenged persons to cast their votes without seeking any assistance," Chief Electoral Officer B R Sharma said on Wednesday.

He said the first-level checking of EVMs has started and would be complete soon, adding that two ballot units would be installed at those polling stations where the contesting candidates exceed 16.

Sharma said as many as 1,32,000 new voters have been added to the electorate, after special summary revision of electoral rolls last month. As many as 65,11,638 voters are eligible to vote in Jammu and Kashmir.

The general elections in the state will be held in five phases beginning April 16 when Jammu constituency will go to the polls. The other five constituencies that will be going to polls are Udhampur on April 23, Anantnag on April 30, Srinagar on May 7 and Baramulla and Ladakh constituencies on May 13.